Page 31 of Tashama
“I don’t understand why she’s being sent to the tower.”
The guard shook his head. “Carissian says she’s a danger to our people. The prince feels she cannot escape from there.”
When the guardarrived with Tashama at the round, stone tower, he set her on her feet while she gripped his arm. The black-haired and bearded tower guard frowned at her. He looked like a grizzly bear, barrel-chested, thick-necked, with beady black eyes. “What’s the matter with you?” he said to the royal guard. “Women don’t come to the tower.”
“By the prince’s orders, Toscarlo.”
The tower guard grunted. “She won’t be safe in there.”
“The prince’s orders. Find a place where she’s safe then. Be careful with her as she has been injured.” The guard untied the rope from her wrists.
“She must have murdered the prince’s best friend to have earned a room in this place. Wounded prisoners don’t come here.”
“She escaped from the palace.”
The tower guard’s bushy black brows arched. “Why would anyone want to leave the palace?”
“She’s a Karthlander prisoner.”
“Oh,” he grunted. “I must be dense—didn’t even notice her fair features.” Then he scratched his head. “What would a Karthlander woman be doing as a prisoner of the prince? Only the men are taken prisoner.”
“This one is special—apparently.”
“So special she gets the tower.” The tower guard shook his head. “Well, come on, you.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the room. She cried out in distress as pain filled her chest and the wooden floor pressed against her sensitive, swollen soles.
“She’s injured, I tell you.” The soldier raised his voice in irritation.
“All right, all right. I’m not used to having a woman…an injured woman…and a Karthlander up here to boot.”
He walked her into the cell where several male prisoners loitered in the expansive round tower. All eyed her suspiciously when the guard made her sit near the window. She lay down on the straw, and the guard turned to the prisoners. “Stay away from the woman, prince’s orders. Anyone who bothers the lady will be flying out yonder window. Since we’re ten stories high, it wouldn’t make a pretty sight on the stone pavers beneath the window.”
The tower guard hesitated when he considered Tashama, then glared at the men. “Don’t test my resolve in the matter.”
Before he left the room, the healer hurried into the cell. “I understand you have a wounded prisoner.”
The massive hulk of the guard moved out of the way and waved his hand at Tashama. The healer gasped. “A Karthlander woman. Whatisshedoing here?”
“Prince’s orders.”
The healer hurried over to Tashama, then knelt at her feet. He examined the punctures already swelling with the effect of the poison. After rubbing a salve on her feet, he wrapped them with cloth. Then he touched the rope burns on her wrists.
“I don’t understand why the prince is so angry.” He applied medicine to her wrists, but when he lifted her arm higher, Tashama groaned in pain. “Where do you hurt, miss?” the healer asked when a tear rolled down her cheek.
“My heart hurts, Healer.”
The man touched her lower rib cage, making her cry out. He nodded and felt the rest of her ribs. Convinced there were no breaks, he turned to the tower guard. “I want to give her something to help her bruised ribs heal, but it’ll make her sleep through just about anything. She’ll be more vulnerable.”
The tower guard nodded. “Do what you must. I’ll ensure the lady’s sleep is undisturbed.”
The healer gave her the tea, and Tashama reacted to the drug as before. In a haze, she watched the guard tie the men together. He looped the rope to a metal rung on the wall opposite her.
“You breach our rights!” one of the men shouted.
“Write up your grumble and send it to the prince.” The tower guard turned to Tashama as she closed her eyes. “Sleep well, miss.”
Before he could take a step out of the room, Carissian appeared. She felt his presence at once and opened her eyes. Carissian folded his arms when the guard blocked his path. “I want to see the prisoner.”
“She’s asleep, Carissian.”
